How to move on from redundancy
Nine years ago, I said ‘ok’ to redundancy. It’s quite crazy to think that it’s nearly a decade since it happened and yet here I am still feeling so many feelings about it. I wondered if I should write about it or let it quietly go to the back of my mind. But it doesn’t always live in the back of my mind. Often, it hits hard into the front of my mind. Triggers can be anything from someone else’s redundancy post on LinkedIn to seeing the newspaper I worked for ‘out there in the wild’ (this happens more in London than the Cotswolds!).
So, after dwelling slightly on my own feels, let’s take things on a step and look at the lessons learned - so hopefully these will help you if you’re in the same boat right now.
There was a huge amount of shame and pride wrapped up in redundancy for me. I was working on the features desk of a national newspaper, and being made redundant took me in one sudden moment from ‘Jenny at Big Newspaper’ to ‘Just Jenny’.
I was somebody… then I was nobody.
Well, that’s how it felt.
Nine years on, I hope I am still somebody in many different ways. I still write, so I’m a ‘name’ and I hope I’m becoming known for my coaching. Of course, I try to be an influencer…
How to manage the shame of redundancy
When you are made redundant, many people email you to ask who else they should be in touch with. For example, I recieved emails and messages saying ‘Sorry, I heard you’re leaving, who should I email instead?’. This is the same across many roles, if you’re well known to many contacts, they’ll want to know who is the best ‘new you’. You feel immediately replaceable, swappable, disposed of. And no, I wasn’t leaving - I was taking redundancy.
It’s easy to package the two together, especially when it comes to that shame. I see people do this - sharing on LinkedIn that they are leaving somewhere when it’s redundancy. It’s hard to own redundancy because of the cloak and dagger element - signing forms to say you won’t talk about the details, for example.
Part of the shame for me was not wanting to say I’d been made redundant. Of course, the lingo is that your role is being made redundant. People say: ‘Don’t take it personally' but frankly, I think that’s impossible! There’s also the ‘shame’ of the LinkedIn green ‘open to work’ banner. (It may be time to be brave and update your LinkedIn profile in general, though!)
Saying you’re leaving feels like a way of controlling things at first, but actually, saying the R word can be quite freeing. It wasn’t you, it was them.
Here are my five key lessons on moving on from redundancy:
Lesson 1: Don’t knee-jerk into your next move
As a journalist, it was a knee-jerk for me to go into freelancing after redundancy. It might be the same for you - or the opposite, to apply for all the jobs you see, in a panic mode. It might actually be that a short-term or part-time role is the best next step for you.
Knee-jerking comes from the panic of being made redundant. Try and take a step back, to focus on what’s going on in the moment, and not make any extreme decisions in a panic. Instead, take time to work on your goals and values to make your next step one that works for you, not just a panic reaction.
Lesson 2: Try to stay friends
A big regret for me was that I didn’t stay in touch with many people I had been working with. I was too hurt to talk to those who hadn’t lost their job, too proud to share that I was floundering.
Other people you work with won’t know what to say, or will say something strange (one guy on my team moaned that there would be more work for those ‘left behind’!!). But cutting all ties is something I regret. I wonder if I should message my old desk buddy…
Lesson 3: Everyone will tell you their redundancy story (and say that it’ll be the best thing that could happen to you)
Also unavoidable - but you can shut this down. ‘Thanks, but I don’t want to delve into that!’ is a possible answer. So is ‘Please, no clichés!’ or simply ‘You don’t know that’.
The only way to know how it’ll pan out is in hindsight. Was it the best thing that could have happened to my career? Yes and no: I’d have missed out on a lot of opportunities I took after redundancy (including working at the BBC for a while) but I could have chosen to leave and go freelance on my own terms. Would I be a coach if I hadn’t been made redundant? It’s a big question, and I like to think that yes, I would!
Lesson 4: It’s ok to be angry
I really tried to hide my anger when I was made redundant. I held back the tears and tried to play the game. I worried about my reputation if I got angry, or upset, or ‘fought back’. Redundancy makes you feel very angry indeed. Even if you wanted it, or were thinking of leaving anyway, it’s like getting dumped when you don’t expect it.
Anger can also spill out into wanting career revenge (which is a very valid emotion, too). You feel angry because of the lack of control, and the surprise element. And that’s ok. But lean into the anger using lesson 5, below…
Lesson 5: Ask for help as part of your package
I was offered CV support but aside from that, not much. It’s pretty standard. I wish I’d asked for coaching - or used some of my money to work with a coach. I wasn’t a coaching convert at that point, of course!
Take that anger to a professional, rather than Nando’s (as I did with a mate who was also being made redundant). It’s ok to rant a bit, especially with chicken, chips and wine, but at the end of the day, moving on from the anger is something that’s best done with a therapist or coach.
I hope this has helped, and if you want to talk about your redundancy with me in a professional capacity, please do have a look at all my coaching packages, which include help for those job hunting after redundancy.
